Increased Wildlife Activity

Date: May 02, 2016
RE: Increased Wildlife Activity

With the warming weather and thawing snow, Mono County is experiencing an increase in wildlife activity. Although this trend extends through the entire county, Crowley Lake and June Lake have been the hot spots for bear activity. The bears are seeking food and are already damaging property and attempting to gain access to houses and out buildings. Residents and visitors also need to be mindful of the presence of mountain lions. While mountain lion attacks on humans are extremely rare, it is important to be educated on what to do should one encounter a mountain lion. The following are some steps that people can take in an effort to exist responsibly with wildlife:

Invest in bear-proof garbage containers. This can include specialized commercial trash bins or can be as simple as buying surplus 55 gallon re-sealable barrels. Trash should be stored in secured containers away from buildings if possible. Always secure communal trash bins, either with a chain or a lock.

Properly store pet food. Pet food should be in an airtight, sealed container if stored in the garage. Bears are obviously attracted to pet food and have broken into numerous garages and residences.

Do not leave anything in your vehicle that may attract bears. This includes, but is not limited to, food, wrappers, gum, perfume, mints, etc.

Watch out for wildlife on the roads. The deer are migrating and other wildlife is moving around. Motorists need to be alert and watch the road in order to cut down on the number of animal involved collisions and deaths.

NEVER feed wildlife. Feeding of wildlife is a violation of the law and also a death sentence to the animals. Once conditioned to human sources of food, bears will seek them out, creating conflicts with humans. Bears may be killed to ensure public safety if the nuisance behavior cannot be corrected. Attracting bears to urban areas can also increase risk of vehicle collisions, harming both humans and bears. Feeding deer is also illegal and the presence of deer will attract mountain lions.